The present invention relates to an air-freshener for a vehicle, in particular a motorcar.
There is a need for providing a pleasant air also in vehicles. For that reason, air-fresheners are on the market which can be disposed in a motorcar, for instance on a guard of the fan in the dashboard thereof.
The object of the invention is to provide an air-freshener that operates efficiently and reliably and lasts for a long time.
To that end, in accordance with the invention, there is provided an air-freshener for a vehicle, in particular a motorcar, provided with a housing into which a container for a volatile liquid or a liquid containing one or more volatile components can be inserted, in the opening of which container a wick extending into the housing is fitted, and with a movable covering cap which, when the container with wick has been inserted into the housing, can cover the wick entirely or partially, and with control means for setting the position of the covering cap.
Hence, in the air-freshener, each time when a container, in particular a flask, containing a volatile liquid or a liquid having one or more volatile components, is empty, another, filled, container can be inserted into the air-freshener, as a result of which the air-freshener itself can last for a particularly long time. The air-freshener is out of action when the covering cap has covered the wick entirely. When the covering cap has been removed from the wick entirely or partially, the liquid absorbed from the container by the wick can readily evaporate. Thus, an efficient and reliable operation of the air-freshener is obtained.
In a favorable embodiment, the covering cap, when the container with wick has been inserted into the housing, can be moved up and down over the wick.
To enable an air flow that facilitates the evaporation of the liquid absorbed into the wick, the housing is provided with ventilating openings via which, when a container with a wick extending in the housing has been fitted, air can flow along the entirely or partially released wick.
In a favorable embodiment, the control means for positioning the covering cap are formed by a gear rack fitted on the covering cap and a gear engaging therewith, which gear is connected to a control member. In particular, this control member is formed by a turning knob which closes the housing and which is provided with ventilating openings. In particular the turning knob provides that virtually no pulling forces are exerted on the air-freshener, whereby the air-freshener could possibly be pulled from its place of attachment, which, when placed in a motorcar, might create dangerous situations in that the driver of the car may wish to fix the air-freshener again during driving.
To enable an optimal air flow through the air-freshener, further ventilating openings have been provided in the wall of the housing located opposite the turning knob. In particular, the covering cap is movable up and down between the turning knob and the opposite wall of the housing. As a result, when the container with the wick extending in the housing has been inserted and the covering around the wick has been removed entirely or partially, an optimal air flow along the wick is possible.
The air-freshener comprises a clip element to enable securing the air-freshener on a strip-shaped element, in particular that of a guard of the fan in the dashboard of a motorcar. This makes it possible to utilize the air flow from the fan for the air-freshener. This means that the air-freshener is not only controllable by positioning the covering cap by means of the turning knob, but also by controlling the air flow through the guard of the fan, i.e. by switching the fan of the vehicle to which the air-freshener is connected faster or slower and/or by switching the temperature of the air flow in the vehicle higher or lower. In particular, it is pointed out that the air-freshener operates properly only after the fan has been switched on.
The clip element for fixing the air-freshener in the vehicle preferably comprises four resilient clamping elements projecting outwards from the housing, which clamping elements are separated from each other according to two planes which are at least substantially perpendicular to each other, to enable securing the air-freshener either on a vertical, or on a horizontal strip-shaped element. Due to the resilient action of the clamping elements, the air-freshener can readily, yet sufficiently firmly be secured on, for instance, the guard of a car fan. A good clamping action is obtained particularly when the resilient elements are formed by metal strips; in that case, to prevent damage, these strips have at least their ends provided with a plastic covering layer.
Because the air-freshener can each time be supplied with a new container, it is favorable when the housing comprises a holding element for fixedly holding or clamping an insertable and removable container for a volatile liquid or a liquid having one or more volatile components.
The invention does not only relate to an air-freshener, but also to a container for a volatile liquid or a liquid having one or more volatile components, in the opening of which a wick can be placed, which container has a shape fitting in the air-freshener, as described hereinabove. After all, as far as design and dimensions are concerned, the container and the wick should be adjusted to the concrete construction of the air-freshener. The invention further relates to an air-freshener as described hereinabove, comprising a container adjusted thereto.